Are there nice HDBs/non-condo flats?

[mayz945]

Hi - another question from me. Thx for all the help so far.

I've been told that living in standard non-condo flats in Singapore is much much more affordable, but they generally happen to be older and not as nice. I'm curious - are there nice HDBs/flats where I could potentially get a lot more for my money or should I not bother looking?

If there are nice ones, could you please recommend some?

Thx

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hi - another question from me. Thx for all the help so far.

I've been told that living in standard non-condo flats in Singapore is much much more affordable, but they generally happen to be older and not as nice. I'm curious - are there nice HDBs/flats where I could potentially get a lot more for my money or should I not bother looking?

If there are nice ones, could you please recommend some?

Thx

You will get the most bang for your buck, if you don't have a lot of them, renting an HDB is the way to go. Some are quite nice, frankly. You don't get the pool or gym but you usually have a community one nearby which are a lot larger and for the difference in rent, are a lot cheaper. Also, HDB estates tend to have community centres with gyms in them and neighborhood shopping centres with at least one of the chain supermarkets among other amenities like wet markets, etc. I have no problem with HDB flats. In fact I bought one 17 years ago. It's paid for now and I have 4 full sized bedrooms in it. I have three bus stops within walking distance, a major shopping mall (one of the biggest) 2.4 km away with 4 different buses running to it (or a 20 minute walk if I feel like it). You generally will be closer to an MRT station as well.

[curiousgeorge]

Honestly, the nicer buildings are the newer ones, and they tend to be further out of town than the older, mature estates. I say tend to be, there is one obvious exception, The Pinnacle - a design award-winning HDB that has just passed its 5th birthday. (This is significant because there is a Minimum Occupancy Period of 5 yrs on all HDBs when purchased, so its only in the last couple of months that apartments at The Pinnacle can be legally rented out as a whole unit). It's also slap bang on the edge of the CBD, so expect condo-like prices for rentals (the sales prices are >$1m).

But don't confuse an older building for an older HDB apartment, some are renovated to "condo" standards inside. And as they are built by the government, as SMS says, all resources are made available. Far more so than most condos.

One more thing - older units tend to be larger before space got so scarce. I've still never seen a condo - even the expensive ones on Sentosa - with a kitchen or bedrooms as big as my current 3-room (2bed) HDB. I can fit three king-size beds in one of my bedrooms!

[zzm9980]

There are some new buildings in a lot of the older estates. Tiong Bahru has a bunch of new HDB blocks for example.

HDBs can be nice or not, it really depends how the owner fixed them up inside. And as SMS saidm they're in some prime locations. You will not find a nicer sea view or more convenient beach access than Marine Parade HDBs, which is where I lived when I first arrived.

[Steve1960]

We have been living in an HDB apartment in Toa Payoh for almost 3 years now. Very nice fitted kitchen and huge nicely arranged storage in the fitted wardrobes and cupboards in the main bedroom. OK so the two bathrooms are vintage original HDB sanitary ware and tiling but they do the job.

Huge swimming pool complex is a short walk away, also wet market, NTUC and MRT. Everything we need, a central location and much cheaper than a condo.

I would recommend it.

[rajagainstthemachine]

I don't live in a HDB or a condo, I live in what they call a walkup here, basically a 4 level structure with no lift, and I live on the 4th floor, the place on the outside is really run down but on the inside its the most beautiful house I've seen.
and I am paying much lesser rent that what I did for a 2 bedroom HDB in Little india, here there are 3 bedroom and a huge hall and a balcony and an airwell.
so if you put the required amount of effort and time into it you will might be able to get what you are looking for.